I recently bought a house with a well. It is my first well system, so I am not real familiar with them. The previous owner told me the pressure tank leaked, come to find out is was the bladder which was ruptured. The previous owner ran city water, but I wanted to use the well only. I replaced the pressure tank with a new one and all was fine, strong constant pressure that evening. The next morning the water pressure was fine when I turned on the sink. After 3-4 minutes the water was reduced to a trickle and stopped. I checked the pump and it was running. It would not pressurize the tank.

Could I have lost the prime in the pump and was using the water in the system until depleted. What can cause the pump to lose its prime? Replacing the pressure tank? Why would it work for several hours and several showers and then stop? Can you run a well dry in 4 days? Remember it hasn't been used for several years, so I would assume it was full.

tpolk

07-21-2011 10:21 AM

may be a well to slow for use

Alan

07-21-2011 10:22 AM

Do you have a jet pump or a submersible pump?

Does your pressure switch have an lever on the side of it? (low water cutoff)

Did you adjust the air pressure in your new pressure tank when you installed it according to your cut on pressure?

iya0yas5

07-21-2011 10:58 AM

I have a jet pump, if that is the pump mounted externally to the well. The pressure tank is precharged at 40 psi. My new pressure switch kicks on at 30 and off at 50 psi

Bob999

07-21-2011 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iya0yas5
(Post 690615)

I have a jet pump, if that is the pump mounted externally to the well. The pressure tank is precharged at 40 psi. My new pressure switch kicks on at 30 and off at 50 psi

With your pressure switch settings the bladder tank precharge should be 28 psi--2 lbs less than the low pressure cut in.

To properly adjust you must drain the bladder tank and with the tank empty adjust the precharge pressure.